I was recently down at the Columbus Center of Science and Industry (COSI) for the Portal to the Public event. To get kids (and adults) more interested in microbiology, we set up all the necessary equipment to make Winogradsky columns. After incubation, these columns can often look really colorful. With some sediment from the Olentangy River, chalk, sulfate, newspaper, and river water, we sent about 150 columns home with various families from across Ohio. Hopefully some will get the sunlight they need to bloom….
The Winogradsky column assembly table, post-event….